Spring clean your diet with these simple steps.
A new season is the perfect time to spruce up your eating habits and kickstart healthier eating patterns. We show you how to spring clean your diet with these super simple steps.
We’re officially in the heart of spring! If you’re anything like us, you’ll be over the moon to see the trees bursting into life and to be able to leave the house with less than twenty layers.
It feels like a new beginning - the chance to shake off old habits and step into a brighter, intentional way of living. So, what better time to spring clean your diet and nourish your body and mind?
It’s time to wave goodbye to old, stagnant habits and energise your routine with nutritious, health-boosting foods and sustainable, smarter ways of eating.
How to spring clean your diet.
Read our eight simple steps for spring cleaning your diet and transforming your eating habits.
Reduce these foods in your diet.
Alcohol
It will hardly come as a surprise that alcohol is bad for your health - it heavily impacts our liver, which is the core organ for ‘detoxing’ our entire system. It’s also a diuretic, making it far harder to stay hydrated when on the booze.
If you don’t want to cut out alcohol entirely, try to stick to the recommended limits of up to one drink for women, and up to two for men per day.
Salt
Did you know that Americans eat an average of 3,400 milligrams of sodium a day?! The Dietary Guides for Americans recommends limiting your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day (around 1 teaspoon of salt).
By reducing the amount of sodium in your diet, you can lower your blood pressure, reduce your risk of a heart attack, prevent your chances of stroke, lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of bloating and swelling and so much more.
Added sugars
Added sugars are a big contributor to obesity and hard problems. The American Heart Association recommends keeping added sugars under 6 teaspoons a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men. If you keep in mind that one regular soda has around 8 teaspoons of sugar, you’ll see that it’s easy to overindulge and fast.
Fancy a sweet treat? Grab some fruit or make a delicious smoothie.
Processed foods
Processed foods are a big ‘NO’ if you want a healthy diet. They’re packed full of sugars, salts and unhealthy trans fats. Really, there’s not much in them that isn’t bad for you! Why not eliminate them entirely and make room in your diet for healthy, natural wholefoods instead?
Increase these foods.
Fruits and veg
We cram as many fruit and vegetables into our dishes as possible - why? Because they’re low in calories, bursting with nutrients and antioxidants and they taste absolutely delicious… What could be better?
Healthy fats
We are strong advocates for the belief that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring. When eaten in moderation, high fat foods such as nuts, eggs, fatty fish and cheese are all important parts of your diet.
Our personal fave healthy fat? The avocado, of course!
Whole grains
Whole grains have a plethora of benefits for your health - they’re full of nutrients including protein, fiber, B vitamins, antioxidants, and trace minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium). A diet rich in whole grains has even been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some forms of cancer.
TOP TIP: Read our guide on the 5 foods to supercharge your immune system.
Start the day right.
You’ll often hear breakfast referred to as ‘the most important meal of the day’ - and that title couldn’t be more deserved. Eating breakfast breaks your overnight fasting period and replenishes the supply of glucose needed to boost your energy levels and alertness. It can also prevent weight gain and reduce fatty buildup in arteries.
Get your water in.
H2O is crucial for the function of every single organ system as it helps to circulate oxygen and clean out toxins. It also regulates your body temperature and helps your brain function… Basically, it’s a powerhouse of health.
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.
Cut out fad diets.
Just cut them out - all of them!
Fad diets and detoxes are "quick fixes" and won’t ever result in any sustainable weight loss. They also promote poor eating habits, and are neither healthy or productive. These fad diets often require cutting out entire food groups, which is tough to stick to in the long-term and stops you from achieving a healthy, balanced diet.
Eat mindfully.
Really think about what you’re eating - savour every mouthful, and allow it to be a part of a mindfulness practice. Mindful eating is simply about being present while eating in a non-judgmental way and using your body's hunger cues to determine when to stop eating.
You may want to limit your distractions while eating (aka turn that TV off!) or look at how consistently you are eating. Both will help you become more aware of when your body needs food, and when it is satisfied; you may in turn kick that habit of immediately going for a second serving, even when your body doesn’t necessarily need it.
Have a meat free day.
With vegetarianism and veganism on the rise, more and more people are opting to have a ‘meat free day’ as part of their diet. Even just one meat-free day has been shown to lower the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
Research also suggests that plant-based diets are cost-effective, low-risk interventions that may lower body mass index, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. They may also reduce the number of medications needed to treat chronic diseases and lower ischemic heart disease mortality rates.
TOP TIP - Read our Ultimate Guide to Going Vegan in 2021.
Clean out the kitchen.
Well, we couldn't write a blog about spring cleaning your diet without an actual spring clean, right?
Your pantry is the first place you’ll head when an intense craving strikes - make your life a hell a lot easier by replacing snacks with healthy (and still tasty!) alternatives. Got a cupboard packed with crisps? Swap them out for crunchy vegetables and hummus. Rows of fizzy pop in the fridge? Why not instead but whisk up a bottle of natural orange juice?
Hand the food over to your friends, leave it in the office - whatever you like! This is your chance to get rid of the foods that aren’t serving you, and make space for delicious and nutritious treats.